With Election Day closing in, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have been traveling the country to make their final pitch to voters.
Trump, the Republican Party’s presidential nominee, held a rally Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden. He closed with an ominous 80-minute speech that denounced his political rivals, assailed immigrants and promised to invoke an 18th-century law to pave the way for mass deportation.
But it was a remark made by one of the opening acts that provoked the most backlash.
Tony Hinchcliffe, a comedian and podcast host, described Puerto Rico at one point as a “floating island of garbage.” The line was well-received by Trump supporters who filled the arena, but it drew rebuke from Democrats and some Republicans who worried it could hurt their standing with moderate voters. The Trump campaign sought to distance itself from Hinchcliffe, saying the remark “does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”
Trump on Tuesday defended his rally, calling it “an absolute lovefest,” and he looked to cast himself as an ally of the island, saying, “No president’s done more for Puerto Rico than I have.” He told Fox News’ Sean Hannity, however, that Hinchcliffe probably shouldn’t have attended his rally.
Hinchcliffe addressed the furor on social media, saying that his critics “have no sense of humor.” He wrote, “I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone … watch the whole set.”
Here are some of the stories that made headlines over the past week, as well as some photos that caught our eye.
